International Women's Day website

Give a peak to this International Women's Day website that lists almost 600 events in almost 50 countries. And yes I do realise that there are places beyond London. Here is the website:


http://www.internationalwomensday.com/events.asp

IWD - just a week away

Well I still have packing to do, and I am still finalising the syllabus for my workshop at the 9th March Feminist Gathering, ‘Women of the Book who go by the Name Feminists’. Still more IWD events are being announced every day. So here is a cheat sheet from Women in London (http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk/). Please note this list does not contain all the events in the capital, but it is comprehensive:


** International Women's Day campaign marks 6 year anniversary of the kidnap of Ingrid Betancourt **
23-Feb (Green Pary) England and Wales
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** Libertarias - IWD screening at Haringey Independent Cinema **
06-Mar 19:00:00 (HIC) London N15
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** Wonderful Women Stand-Up **
06-Mar 20:00:00 (Brighton and Hove Women's Day) Brighton
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Opening Night Gala **
06-Mar 20:10:00 (Bird's Eye View) London Southbank
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** Joolz Denby - plus - Mab Jones and Reality for IWD **
06-Mar 20:30:00 (Apple and Snakes) London E1
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** The Gathering - Bodies and Memory Festival - Celebrating
International Women's Day Week (until 9th) **
07-Mar (Bernie Grant Arts Centre) London N15
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2008**
07-Mar 10:00:00 (Lincoln Area Regeneration Group) London E3
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: MUDCHUTE PAMPER DAY **
07-Mar 10:00:00 (Mudchute Childrens Centre) London E14
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: HEALTHY LIFESTYLES **
07-Mar 11:00:00 (Community of Refugees from Vietnam – East London) London E14
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: WOMEN IN ACTION **
07-Mar 12:00:00 (Tower Hamlets Sickle Cell and Thallasaemia Centre) London E2
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** IWD City University - Free Complementary Health Taster Sessions **
07-Mar 12:00:00 (Not known) London Central
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Lakshmi And Me + Migration **
07-Mar 18:30:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** WISE WORDS: COMEDY NIGHT with NINIA BENJAMIN, NINA CONTI, JO ENRIGHT, SHAPPI KHORSANDI & SHAZIA MIRZA + CHi2 **
07-Mar 20:30:00 (Alternative Arts) London E1
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** Transport to Million Women Rise leaves from Nottinghamd **
08-Mar 08:00:00 (eastside (east midlands) wimmins coalition against violence) Nottingham
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** Capital Woman 2008 **
08-Mar 09:00:00 (City Hall) London SE1
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** Feminism Then and Now - Free Conference **
08-Mar 09:30:00 (Bolton Women's Liberation Group) Bolton
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: SUPPORTING THE PROCESS **
08-Mar 10:30:00 (Spread the Word Writing Course) London E1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: CULTURE KITCHEN TOWER HAMLETS 2008 **
08-Mar 11:00:00 (Women's Environmental Network) London E1
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** International Women's Day Event **
08-Mar 11:00:00 (44 Portland Place (YWCA)) London W1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE DAY Showcasing Women in Business **
08-Mar 11:00:00 (Limehouse Project) London E14
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: ASIATICA **
08-Mar 11:00:00 (Globe Bengali Mohila Samity) London E2
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** Celebrate International Women's Day at the Hillingdon Womens Centre **
08-Mar 12:00:00 (Hillingdon Womens Centre) London Hillingdon
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Flying: Confessions Of A Free Woman + Q&A (Part 1) **
08-Mar 12:00:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC2
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Flying: Confessions Of A Free Woman + Q&A (Part 2) **
08-Mar 12:00:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC2
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** A million women will march Saturday 8th March 2008 **
08-Mar 12:00:00 (Million Woman Rise) London central
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** Stand up and be counted - for a woman's right to choose! **
08-Mar 12:30:00 (Abortion Rights) London Westminster
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Sleepwalking Land + Q&A **
08-Mar 13:00:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: CONFERENCE: The Role of Bangladeshi Women
in British Society **
08-Mar 14:00:00 (Bangladesh Mohila Sanstha) London E1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: BE COUNTED **
08-Mar 14:00:00 (Amaal Girls Group) London E1
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** IWD Celebrations to honour the courage and achievements of Iranian women under oppression **
08-Mar 14:00:00 (ACI) London W2
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** Free participatory performance, a women rendez-vous on the 8th of March **
08-Mar 15:00:00 (Nathalie Dubreu) London SE1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: IWD EXTRAVAGANZA **
08-Mar 15:00:00 (Project Space and New Avenues Youth & Community Project) London E1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: CONCERT: Songs for Women's Rights **
08-Mar 17:00:00 (Udichi Shilpi Gosthi) London E1
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** Nivea Funny Women Stand Up on International Women's Day **
08-Mar 19:00:00 (Funny Women) London EC4
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** Electric Landladies IWD Gig **
08-Mar 19:30:00 (Chats Palace) London East
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** WISE WORDS: MUSIC NIGHT with SARAH JANE MORRIS + La Rouge **
08-Mar 20:30:00 (Alternative Arts) London E1
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** Feminist Gathering in London **
09-Mar (9th March Group) London
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: WOMEN'S DAY ON THE FARM **
09-Mar 12:30:00 (Spitalfields City Farm) London E1
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** IWD Tower Hamlets: ARTISTS TALK: Sanchita Islam **
09-Mar 12:30:00 (Beside Tower Hamlets Befriending Scheme) London E3
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** WISE WORDS: BISHWO SHAHITTO KENDRO The World Literature Centre - with four Bangladeshi women writers **
09-Mar 18:30:00 (Alternative Arts) London E1
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Three Times Divorced **
09-Mar 18:30:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** 'Shaping Progress' International Women's Day Event Barking and Degenham **
10-Mar 09:15:00 (LB Barking and Dagenham) London Barking
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** IWD Lunch at the House of Lords **
10-Mar 12:00:00 (Women's Housing Forum) London Westminster
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** Women's Action for Iraq is inviting you to join us in marking International Women's Day 2008 **
10-Mar 18:00:00 (Act Together) London WC1
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** TUC International Women's Day, Evening Reception **
10-Mar 18:00:00 (TUC) London WC1
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Dinner With The President: A Nation's Journey **
10-Mar 18:30:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** Sexual apartheid, political Islam and women's rights **
10-Mar 18:30:00 (Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Equal Rights Now, Organisation against women's discrimination in Iran)
London WC1
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** Celebrate International Women's Day with women from Nicaragua**
10-Mar 19:00:00 (Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign) London WC1
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Persepolis **
10-Mar 21:00:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - View From A Grain Of Sand **
10-Mar 21:00:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** "Women of Havering", an International Women's Day Celebration! **
11-Mar 14:00:00 (LB Havering) London
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** Women Are Doing It ... Human Rights Watch International Film Festival (12th-21st) **
12-Mar (Human Rights Watch) London various
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** IWD City University - The Changing World of Work and the
Implications for Career Management Workshop **
13-Mar 12:00:00 (Not known) London Central
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** BEV Film Festival 2008 - Caramel **
13-Mar 18:30:00 (Bird's Eye View) London WC1
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** London Festival of Black Female Voices 2008 **
15-Mar 19:30:00 (Black Women in the Arts) London N15
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Women, Health and Wellbeing Day at St Marys Leisure Centre

Women, Health and Wellbeing Day: 11am-4pm, Wednesday, 5th March 2008 (drop in sessions)

Venue name: St Marys Leisure Centre
Venue address: St Marys Road
Venue postcode: S014 0BL
Contact telephone: 023 8022 7579
Contact email: stmarys.lc@southampton.gov
Website:
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/leisure-centres/stmarys/default.asp#3

Capitalwoman film by director, Alexandra (Alex) Kalymnios

Alexandra (Alex) Kalymnios: I shall be making a 4 minute film to be screened at the opening of the Capitalwoman conference 2008, and it will later be featured on the Capitalwoman website. In a nutshell - this short film will show numerous London women dancing whilst at home or at work or in their recreationally area. Each woman will be dancing to their own individual beat although when edited together, the images collectively will convey a truly diverse, multi-cultural and united London rhythm, which will be accompanied with a score composed by Alies Sluiter.

I am looking for woman who would like to participate I would like to film woman of ALL ages, nationalities, abilities and occupations (doctors/police/taxi drivers/mothers/carers/athletes/teachers etc) - anyone who lives in the capital and would feel confident to dance on camera.Filming will take place during the week of 26th Jan – 1st Feb and we would ideally like to film at the participants place of work/play or a place convenient to them.

This film is intended to show the vibrancy of women's lives in London , therefore we are keen to approach all communities and have numerous dance styles to reflect the diversity and energy of our capital's woman!

If you are able to help or forward this email on to any organisations I would be extremely grateful,

Many thank in advance for your time,

Alexandra (Alex) Kalymnios

Contact Details: alexkalymnios@yahoo.co.uk or alexkalymnios@gmail.com

Tel: 07961 142 120 (UK number)


www.myspace.com/akalymnios

Sunday, 09th March 2008 10.30am Women of Worth - Walking Tour

Celebrate International Women's weekend and join Blue Badge Guide Rachel Kolsky, on a Jewish Museum walking tour of the East End profiling Jewish and non-Jewish women alike who made an impact on the Jewish community.Sites of Whitechapel and Spitalfields include those associated with Alice Model and her maternity hospital, Miriam Moses and her youth work, the philanthropy of the Rothschild ladies and Henrietta Barnett and the actresses of the Yiddish theatre ending at the Kinderstransport Memorial at Liverpool Street Station10.30am. Full details of meeting place provided on booking. Tickets: £10.00 (approx $20.00) 020 8371 7373; admin@jewishmuseum.org.uk. Please note this is a UK telephone number.

The link to the website is as follows: http://www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/

Birds Eye View Festival 2008 - Programme details will soon be available

The organizers at Birds Eye View will shortly be announcing programme details for the Birds Eye View Festival 06th - 14th March 2008, so stay posted and connected via their website, telephone or email:


T +44 (0)20 7704 9435 F +44 (0)20 7704 9435 info@birds-eye-view.co.uk www.birds-eye-view.co.uk

Million Women Rise - Information

NATIONAL MARCH MILLION WOMEN RISE

Saturday, 08th March 2008

CALLING FOR AN END TO ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Assemble at Hyde Park 11:30am (March starts at noon)

March to Trafalgar Square

Rally at Trafalgar Square at approximately 3:30pm

For further information or to show your support contact:

Million Women Rise,

c/o WRC, Ground Floor East, 33-41 Dallington St. East, London EC1V 0BB

www.millionwomenrise.com
Email: info@millionwomenrise.com
Info line: 07862 113 308

Memories of my first Capitalwoman conference

I have traveled to London for many years and for brief periods of time I have lived in the capital, so I have pretty much exhausted the whole tourist experience. And now when I venture across the pond it is to see friends and to attend specific events.

I attended my first CapitalWoman conference in 2004. I found the all day free event given by the Mayor of London’s Office, Ken Livingstone while on one of my numerous internet searches seeking out any and all information on British Women’s and or interfaith events. A link led me to CapitalWoman 2004’s website and there I emailed the Mayor’s Office informing them that I was an American national and Anglophile who would love to attend the event. Receipt of my email was acknowledged a day or two later and within a few weeks my invitation was in my hand via snail mail.

Words simply cannot explain the buzz I felt about attending this event completely unknown to me. Why you might ask? Well as previously mentioned I am an Anglophile, and I am also a feminist and my politics and world view tends to be global in nature……………………………………………………………..So my feeling was attending an event in London (the most global of all the world capitals) for women was a culmination of who and what I am. Please note however that you do not need to be a feminist to feel comfortable at Capitalwoman, as women from all political stripes and dispositions are equally welcomed.

So I was off. I arrived in London on Friday, 05th March 2004 and that day was spent recouping from the flight and preparing for Capitalwoman. That meant laying out a carefully crafted outfit that would literally carry me through the day, packing a camera to have a record of the day forever, taking a large bag to bring back loads of brochures and pamphlets and packing a few healthy snacks.

Before retiring I ran a couple of quick errands to purchase something for lunch and later for dinner. Then I retired to my very modest, but quite functional and safe hotel in Russell Square to call a few friends and watch a little telly. The night of Friday, 05th March 2004 was an early one for me.

I must say I still remember that morning awaking and feeling like I was starting my first day of school. In 2004 I have been crossing the pond for 17 years, but this event I knew would be something different………something special. I quickly ate breakfast, worked out, bathed and dressed. With my arsenal of previously packed items I was off towards the Russell Street Tube station on the Picadilly Line. Capitalwoman 2004 was (as subsequent Capitalwoman’s) held at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, so that meant taking the Russell Square tube to the Green Park stop and changing to the Jubilee Line and getting off at Westminister.

Now getting to Westminister was an easy task, but as I have the sense of direction of al bat with broken sonar I was concerned as I rode the escalators up from the belly of the Westminster tube station. I could feel my anxiety growing, but just as I was about to sigh aloud I saw a London cop. As I walked towards the officer in a heavy, lovely, robust, British accent he asked,” Looking for Capitalwoman luv?” My smile told him that he was right. He quickly pointed me in the right direction.

At first I assumed that this London cop must have been a psychic, as he answered my question without me ever giving voice to it…………………………………………But my momentary fleet of fancy was dashed when he said that every other woman in Westminster tube station seemed to be heading to Capitalwoman. In any case I was most grateful for his preemptive assistance.

As I quickly made my way across the street and prepared to cross the street I saw two other women looking at the back of what I knew were the Capitalwoman invitations. I struck up a conversation with the two women and quickly found out that the two ladies were old friends indeed heading to what turned out to also be their first Capitalwoman. Though I was not concerned about attending Capitalwoman 2004 on my own it was nice to have others to share the experience with.

Once at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre there was a short wait in line for the doors to open at 9am. Inside we were quickly and very efficiently registered at one of the many registration points based on your surname (last name). With Capitalwoman 2004 packets in hand we headed upstairs for our choice of light refreshments such as coffee, tea, water, and biscuits (cookies).

Shortly after 10am the conference was ready to start. There was audio visual presentation to open the conference then the speakers began. There was Jenny Jones, Deputy Mayor of London, Mary Turner GMB, Polly Toynbee a journalist, Julie Fernandez an actor and Diane Abbott, MP and Britain first black woman MP to name a few. Finally there was a talk by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone followed by questions and answers. The speakers are well informed posed and give a view of London that is without comparison.

By 12:30pm we broke for an hour lunch and had our choice of prepared sandwiches and fruit bagged lunches. There were vegan and vegetarian options for those of us so included. During this time you could hear the buzz of 100’s and 100’s of women meeting and greeting each other. People were making new friends and reacquainting with old. The wonderfully healthy and satisfying lunches while most appreciated were the least of our concerns……………………………..we were all networking. The conference presented opportunities for connections in the political, career, health care, economic, inter-faith and realms.

Then there were stalls by the dozens offering information on adoption, careers, higher education, various government agencies, etc, etc, etc…………………………The potential for information overload was there and appreciated.

From 1:30pm – 2:40pm you had your choice of 5 seminar topics that covered such topics as London 2012 (referring to the then preparation for the Olympic bid), the London Childcare strategy, Towards an anti racist London, Open Space, Women’s place, and Delivering London’s domestic Violence strategy. I must admit I jumped between three of the conferences, as I could not settle on one.

There was another refreshment break from 2:45pm – 3pm with a chance to physically refuel and to again network with the diverse crowd of women in attendance.

At 3:05pm another round of seminars began that went to 4:15pm. This time the sessions covered, London transport, safer travel and future initiatives for women, Women in London’s economy, Women and the criminal justice system, Women and work in a global city and The case for a Single Equalities Act. Again I hopped between several seminars.

By 4:15pm the closing comments were started. And shortly before 5:30pm Capitalwoman 2004 was history.

The conference was brilliant. It was well organized and well attended by almost 2,000 women. If you are crossing the pond for International Women’s Day consider registering for Capitalwoman 2008. It promises to be equally if not more edifying than conferences of the past. In addition American iconic, civil rights activist, Angela Davis is an honored speaker. Capitalwoman 2008 is on Saturday, 08th March 2008.

Hope to see you there: http://www.london.gov.uk/capitalwoman/

Birds Eye View’s 2008 Film Festival 06th – 13th March 2008

The people at Birds Eye View are at it again, and their 2008 festival will include a myriad of features, documentaries and short films from women around the world. In addition there will be many premiere screenings, loads of special multi-media events, Q&A sessions galore, panel discussions and gobs of parties with interesting film-makers and aficionados in attendance.
If this year’s festival is like those of bygone years – it should be a blast.

Stay tuned to their brilliant website for enlightening and pertinent information:

http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/

Some personal thoughts on celebrating International Women’s Day in London, England

As the name implies International Women’s Day (08th March) is a global event, yet for the last few years I have chosen to celebrate the day in the UK capital, London. There are many reasons for this. One is that I am an Anglophile and some of the others reasons are that London celebrates IWD with a gusto not matched by any other city. Yes I am a tad bit biased. London is a world city and while in London you are technically in a European capital, but the city is populated and traveled to by all of God’s creations of the human kind. So when you celebrate IWD in London you truly get the global nature of the holiday.

In the coming weeks various London based organizations will announce their IWD celebrations. You will find conferences, seminars, concerts, marches and rallies for women of all colors, ethnicities, religious ideologies, political bents, economic backgrounds, professional training, disabilities status and ages.

Previous years there has been a film festival with the mission of showing the works of budding women film-makers, professional networking conferences, and music and comedy concerts with well known women performers. Readings by women writers saturate London during this time. Political organizations of all persuasions reach out to the female population during the weeks before and for about a week after IWD. Also during this time the myriad of women’s organizations in London open their doors to showcase their particular service (role) in the continuing struggle for women’s rights.

Many of the events are free or charge a nominal fee. They typically are accessible by tube (London Underground) or another method of public transportation. Visiting London during IWD also offers the possibility of cheap airfares as March is off-peak travel time……………………..and you will find relatively cheaper hotels and B&B’s.

Come on cross the pond and celebrate International Women’s Day in the Capital (London).

Calling a Million Women to rise (in London on 08th March 2008)

The Million Woman Rise will include a day (Saturday, 08th March 2008) of speeches, prayer and music. Thousands of women are expected at the rally, which aims to address violence against women through political, social and economic solidarity.

Here is the link to their website:

http://www.millionwomenrise.com/

And for more information or to get involved email info@millionwomenrise.com

An American celebrating Int'l Women's Day in London

I am an American national and an Anglophile with a political bent leaning towards women's activism. For over two decades I have traveled to and from London. And for brief periods of times I have called London home.

In early March 2008 I will be in London, England celebrating International Women’s Day. In that light I would like to connect with other women (American and not) traveling to the capital for the festivities. Over the next three months I will post everything from information on IWD events taking place in London, contact information for London based women’s group to discounted hotel and airline information.

Welcome to my blog.